The distortion produced by electronic amplification of musical instruments, particularly stringed instruments, has been recognised as long as microphones have been used. Correction has been approached in several ways such as (a) use of steel strings, or (b) direct electronic pick-up from the sound box itself. Each of these increases the volume but often with a corresponding loss of clarity or tone. Echo chambers have also been added to the instrument itself and although they add a pleasing element they do not produce a greater initial volume; that is, the strings are not attached directly to the echo chamber and hence it is not a primary sound chamber even though the strings may run through it (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 853,686 to Feather and Culp). Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a stringed musical instrument having improved clarity and volume due to the stepped shape of the sound box or resonance chamber having an angular bridge to which the strings are directly connected so as to effect vibration of the chamber. Such sound may then of course be further amplified or reverberated as desired, but often no such attachment or construction is desired.